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All Terms & Definitions

Adjudication
The act of a court in making an order, judgment, or decree.

Age category
The appropriate age category is determined by the respondent's age on the last day of
the month preceding the interview.

Aggravated assault
An attack or attempted attack with a weapon, regardless of whether an injury occurred,
and an attack without a weapon when serious injury results.

With injury - An attack without a weapon when serious injury
results or an attack with a weapon involving any injury. Serious injury includes
broken bones, lost teeth, internal injuries, loss of consciousness, and any
unspecified injury requiring two or more days of hospitalization.

Threatened with a weapon - Threat or attempted attack by an offender armed with
a gun, knife, or other object used as a weapon that does not result in victim
injury.

Annual household income
The total household income for the 12 months preceding the interview. Includes wages,
salaries, net income from businesses or farms, pensions, interest, dividends, rent,
and any other source of monetary income of the head of household and all household
members.

Appellate Courts
Any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower
tribunal.

Arrest
The act of detaining in legal custody. An "arrest" is the deprivation of a person's
liberty by legal authority in response to a criminal charge.

Assault
An unlawful physical attack or threat of attack. Assaults may be classified as
aggravated or simple. Rape, attempted rape, and sexual assaults are excluded from this
category, as well as robbery and attempted robbery. The severity of assaults ranges
from minor threats to nearly fatal incidents.

Assigned counsel
The appointment from a list of private bar members who accept cases on a judge-by-
judge, court-by-court, or case-by-case basis. This may include an administrative
component and a set of rules and guidelines governing the appointment and processing of
cases handled by the private bar members.

Assistance
-

Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS)
An automated system for searching fingerprint files and transmitting fingerprint
images. AFIS computer equipment can scan fingerprint impressions (or utilize
electronically transmitted fingerprint images) and automatically extract and digitize
ridge details and other identifying characteristics in sufficient detail to enable the
computer's searching and matching components to distinguish a single fingerprint from
thousands or even millions of fingerprints previously scanned and stored in digital
form in the computer's memory. The process eliminates the manual searching of
fingerprint files and increases the speed and accuracy of ten-print processing (arrest
fingerprint cards and noncriminal justice applicant fingerprint cards). AFIS equipment
also can be used to identify individuals from "latent" (crime scene) fingerprints,
with
even fragmentary prints of single fingers in some cases. Digital fingerprint images
generated by AFIS equipment can be transmitted electronically to remote sites,
eliminating the necessity of mailing fingerprint cards and providing remote access to
AFIS fingerprint files.

Bench trial (nonjury trial)
A trial held in the absence of a
jury and decided by a judge culminating in a judgment for
the plaintiff(s) or defendant(s).

Body armor
A protective piece designed to stop projectiles. Body armor can provide protection
against a significant number of types of handgun ammunition, but unfortunately there is
no such thing as bulletproof armor.

Burglary
Unlawful or forcible entry or attempted entry of a residence. This crime usually, but not always, involves theft.
The illegal entry may be by force (e.g., breaking a window or slashing a screen) or may be without force (e.g.,
entering through an unlocked door or an open window). As long as the person entering has no legal right to be
present in the structure, a burglary has occurred. Furthermore, the structure need not be the house itself for a
burglary to take place; illegal entry of a garage, shed, or any other structure on the premises also constitutes
household burglary. If breaking and entering occurs in a hotel or vacation residence, it is classified as a
burglary for the household whose member or members were staying there at the time the entry occurred.

Attempted forcible entry - A form of burglary in which force is used
in an attempt to gain entry.

Completed burglary - A form of burglary in which a person who has no legal
right
to be present in the structure successfully gains entry to a residence, by use of
force or without force.

Forcible entry - A form of completed burglary in which force is used to gain
entry to a residence. Some examples include breaking a window or slashing a screen.

Unlawful entry without force - A form of completed burglary committed by someone
having no legal right to be on the
premises, even though no force is used.

Business
A company, service or membership organization consisting of one or more establishments
under common ownership or control. For this survey, major subsidiaries were treated as
separate businesses.

Capital cases
Crimes that can result in a death penalty.

Capital punishment
Capital punishment refers to the process of sentencing convicted offenders to death
for the most serious crimes (capital crimes) and carrying out that sentence. The
specific offenses and circumstances which determine if a crime (usually murder) is
eligible for a death sentence are defined by statute and are prescribed by Congress or
any state legislature.

Cause of death
A description of the specific factors leading to the termination of the biological
functions that sustain life

CBP
An acronym for Customs and Border Protection,¿ was established May 1, 2003 to combine
the inspectional workforces and broad border authorities of the U.S. Customs Service,
U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), the U.S. Border Patrol, and the
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. CBP is tasked with stopping terrorists,
terrorist weapons, illegal drugs, aliens, and materials harmful to agriculture from
entering at, or between, ports of entry.

Central repository
The database (or the agency housing the database) that maintains criminal history
records on all state offenders. Records include fingerprint files and files containing
identification segments and notations of arrests and dispositions. The central
repository is generally responsible for state-level identification of arrestees, and
commonly serves as the central control terminal for contact with FBI record systems.
Inquiries from local agencies for a national record check (for criminal justice or
firearm check purposes) are routed to the FBI via the central repository. Although
usually housed in the Department of Public Safety, the central repository may be
maintained in some states by the state police or some other state agency.

CERT C.C.
An organization that works with the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT) and
the private sector. CERT C.C. studies computer and network security in order to provide
incident response services to victims of attacks, publish alerts concerning
vulnerabilities and threats, and offer information to help improve computer and network
security.

Chemical agents
A chemical compound which has deleterious effects on human health. There are a number
of different types of chemical agents, and a range of uses for these compounds, from
crowd control to chemical warfare.

CODIS
COSIS is an acronym for Combined DNA Index System, which is a computer software
program
that operates local, State, and national databases of DNA
profiles from convicted offenders, unsolved crime scene evidence, and missing persons.

Collection year
The set of victimizations reported to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) in interviews
conducted during the same calendar year. This set may include victimizations that occurred in the
previous calendar year, due to the retrospective nature of the NCVS interview. Collection year data
are used in tables beginning in 1996. See "Data year."

Commercial crimes
Crimes against commercial establishments of any type are not included in the survey.
Commercial establishments include stores, restaurants, businesses, service stations,
medical offices or hospitals, or other similar establishments. For victimizations
occurring in commercial establishments, the crime is included or not included
depending on whether the survey respondent was threatened or harmed in some way or
personal property was taken.

Community corrections
The supervision of criminal offenders in the resident
population, as opposed to confining offenders in secure correctional facilities. The
two
main types of community corrections supervision are probation and parole. Community
corrections is also referred to as community supervision.

Community policing
A philosophy that promotes organizational strategies, which support the systematic use
of partnerships and problem-solving techniques between the police and the community.
These strategies proactively address the immediate conditions that give rise to public
safety issues such as crime, social disorder, and fear of crime. For more information
about community policing please visit the Office of Community Oriented
Policing Services (COPS) website.

Computer virus
A hidden fragment of computer code which propagates by inserting itself into or
modifying other programs. Includes viruses, worms, and Trojan horses. Excludes
spyware, adware, and other malware.

Consent search
Search made by United States law enforcement personnel based on the consent of the
individual whose person or property is being searched. No warrant or probable cause is
required to perform a search if a person with the proper authority permits, approves,
or agrees to a search. A consent search requires the individual whose person or
property is being searched to freely and voluntarily waive his or her Fourth Amendment
rights, granting the officer permission to perform the search.

Contract attorneys
Nonsalaried private attorneys, bar associations, law firms, consortiums or groups of
attorneys, or nonprofit corporations that contract with a funding source to provide
court-appointed representation in a jurisdiction.

Contract cases (contracts)
Cases that include all allegations of breach of
contract.

Court security
An integrated approach to the judicial process that ensures the integrity and safety of
the court system and its participants. This is achieved by effectively evaluating,
planning, and pro-actively managing threats and potential threats directed toward the
court system.

Crime classification
Victimizations and incidents are classified based on detailed characteristics of the event
provided by the respondent. Neither victims nor interviewers classify crimes at the time of
interview. During data processing, a computer program classifies each event into one type of
crime, based on the entries on a number of items on the survey questionnaire. This ensures
that similar events will be classified using a standard procedure. The glossary definition for
each crime indicates the major characteristics required to be so classified. If an event can
be classified as more than one type of crime, a hierarchy is used that classifies the crime
according to the most serious event that occurred. The hierarchy from highest to lowest is
rape, sexual assault, robbery, assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft, and theft.

Crime laboratories
A scientific laboratory (with at least one full-time natural scientist) that examines
physical evidence in criminal matters, and provides reports and opinion testimony with
respect to such physical evidence in courts of law.

Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) or Criminal History Record Information System
A record (or the system maintaining such records) that includes individual identifiers and
describes an individual's arrests and subsequent dispositions. Criminal history records do not
include intelligence or investigative data or sociological data, such as drug use history. CHRI
systems usually include information on juveniles if they are tried as adults in criminal courts.
Most, however, do not include data describing involvement of an individual in the juvenile justice
system. All data in CHRI systems are usually backed by fingerprints of the record subjects to
provide positive identification. State legislation varies concerning disclosure of criminal history
records for noncriminal justice purposes.

Criminal Justice Information Services Advisory Policy Board (APB)
Successor to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) APB, the CJIS APB is
comprised of 30 criminal justice officials who provide policy input to guide the
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the administration of its CJIS Division. The
CJIS Division administers the NCIC, the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, the
Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS), and other information
system programs determined by the FBI director to have some relationship with these
programs.

Cross deputization agreements
Allow law enforcement personnel from state and tribal entities to cross jurisdictions
in criminal cases. Cross deputization agreements have been used to enhance law
enforcement capabilities in areas were state and tribal lands were contiguous and
intermingled. Under some agreements, federal, state, county/local, and/or tribal law
enforcement officers have the power to arrest Indian and non-Indian wrongdoers
wherever
the violation of law occurs.

Custody
To have custody of a prisoner, a state or the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) must
physically hold that person in one of its facilities. A locality, state, or the BOP
may hold inmates over whom a different government maintains jurisdiction.

Custody count
The number of offenders in custody. To have custody of a prisoner, a state or the
Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) must physically hold that person in one of its
facilities. A locality, state, or the BOP may have custody of a prisoner over whom a
different government maintains jurisdiction.

Data quality
The extent to which criminal history records are complete, accurate, and timely. In
addition, accessibility sometimes is considered a data quality factor. The key concern
in data quality is the completeness of records and the extent to which records include
dispositions as well as arrest and charge information. Other concerns include the
timeliness of data reporting to state and federal repositories, the timeliness of data
entry by the repositories, the readability of criminal history records, and the ability
to have access to the records when necessary.

Data year
The set of victimizations reported to NCVS, all of which occurred within the same calendar
year. For all years prior to 1996,
Criminal Victimization in the United States tables are based on data year.
Beginning in 1996, tables
are based on collection year. See "Collection Year."

Deadly or Lethal Force
Force that a law enforcement officer uses with the purpose of causing, or that the officer
knows to create a substantial risk of causing, death, or serious bodily harm.

Death row
Death row refers to incarcerated persons who have been sentenced to death and are
awaiting execution (as in "inmates on death row"). Historically, death row was a slang
term which referred to the area of a prison in which prisoners who were under a
sentence of death were housed. Usage of the term continues despite the fact that many
states do not maintain a separate unit or facility for condemned inmates.

Defendant
Any party who is required to answer the complaint of a plaintiff or pursuer in a civil
lawsuit before a court, or any party who has been formally charged or accused of
violating a criminal statute.

Denial of service
The disruption, degradation, or exhaustion of an Internet connection or e-mail service
that results in an interruption of the normal flow of information. Denial of service is
usually caused by ping attacks, port scanning probes, or excessive amounts of incoming
data.

Design capacity
The number of inmates that planners or architects intended for the facility.

Direct expenditure
All expenditure except that classified as inter­govern­mental. It includes "direct
current expenditure" (salaries, wages, fees, commissions and purchases of
supplies, materials, and contractual services) and "capital outlays" (con­struction and
purchase of equipment, land, and existing structures). Capital outlays are included for
the year when the direct expenditure is made, regardless of how the funds are raised
(for example, by bond issue) or when they are paid back.

Discharge
Individuals exiting parole supervision. Successful discharges include persons who have
completed the term of conditional supervision. Unsuccessful discharges include
revocations of parole, returns to prison or jail, and absconders. Parolees who are
transferred to other jurisdictions and those who die while under supervision are not
included in the calculation of success/failure rates.

DNA
The abbreviation for deoxyribonucleic acid, which is the genetic material present in
the cells of all living organisms. DNA is the fundamental building block for an
individual's entire genetic makeup. A person's DNA is the same in every cell (with a
nucleus). DNA is contained in blood, semen, skin cells, tissue, organs, muscle, brain
cells, bone, teeth, hair, saliva, mucus, perspiration, fingernails, urine, feces, etc.

Domestic violence
Refers to violence between spouses, or spousal abuse but can also include cohabitants
and non-married intimate partners.

Domestic violence courts
Address criminal cases that involve offenses against persons who are related in some way,
most often through intimate partnership or family relationship. They include integrated
domestic violence courts, which handle both domestic violence and family issues (e.g.,
custody and visitation).

Driving while intoxicated (DWI) courts
Dedicated to changing the behavior of alcohol- or drug-dependent repeat offenders or
high-blood alcohol content offenders arrested for DWI or driving under the influence
(DUI). The goal of the court is to protect public safety while addressing the root
cause of impaired driving. They include juvenile DWI courts.

Drug offensesDrug trafficking—Includes trafficking, sales, distribution, possession with
intent to distribute or sell,
manufacturing, and smuggling of controlled substances. It does not include possession of
controlled substances.

Other drug offenses—Includes possession of controlled substances,
prescription violations, possession of
drug paraphernalia, and other drug law violations.

Drug possession
Includes possession of an illegal drug, but excludes possession with intent to sell.

Drug trafficking
Includes manufacturing, distributing, selling, smuggling, and possession with intent
to
sell.

Electronic vandalism or sabotage
The deliberate or malicious damage, defacement, destruction or other alteration of
electronic files, data, web pages, or programs.

Embezzlement
The unlawful misappropriation of money or other things of value, by the person to whom
the property was entrusted (typically an employee), for his or her own purpose.
Includes instances in which a computer was used to wrongfully transfer, counterfeit,
forge or gain access to money, property, financial documents, insurance policies,
deeds, use of rental cars, or various services by the person to whom they were
entrusted.

Ethnicity
A classification based on Hispanic culture and origin, regardless of race. Persons
are asked directly if they are Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino before being asked about
their racial category.

Excessive Use of Force
The application of lawful use of force in too many separate incidents.

Family court
A court, usually with a limited jurisdiction, that handles legal cases involving a
family, especially controversies between parent and child or husband and wife.

Family problem-solving courts (or family courts)
Address juvenile or family court cases of child abuse or neglect, adjudication of
parental rights, and custody and visitation in which parental substance abuse is a
contributing factor.

Federal court
A court established by the federal government that has jurisdiction over questions of
federal law.

Federal Firearm Licensee (FFL)
A federally licensed firearms dealer is licensed by ATF to engage in the business of
manufacturing, importing, or dealing in firearms. An FFL must be enrolled with the FBI
NICS Section in order to request a NICS background check.

Federal prisons
Prison facilities run by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). Prisoners housed in these
facilities are under the legal authority of the federal government. This
excludes private facilities under exclusive contract with BOP.

Federal Supervised Release
Established by the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984 (SRA), Federal supervised release is a
term of conditional community supervision set by the court at the time of sentencing.
The SRA also abolished release by a parole board, required a determinate sentence term,
and limited the amount of good time that can be credited toward the sentence.

Felony
An offense, as murder or burglary, of graver character than those called misdemeanors,
especially those commonly punished in the U.S. by imprisonment for more than a year.

Felony or serious misdemeanor
The category of offenses for which fingerprints and criminal history information are
accepted by the FBI and entered in the Bureau's files, including the Interstate
Identification Index (III) system. Serious misdemeanor is defined to exclude certain
minor
offenses, such as drunkenness or minor traffic offenses.

Fraud
The intentional misrepresentation of information or identity to deceive others, the
unlawful use of a credit or debit card or ATM, or the use of electronic means to
transmit deceptive information, in order to obtain money or other things of value.
Fraud may be committed by someone inside or outside the business. Includes instances in
which a computer was used to defraud the business of money, property, financial
documents, insurance policies, deeds, use of rental cars, or various services by
forgery, misrepresented identity, credit card or wire fraud. Excludes incidents of
embezzlement.

Full-time employees
All persons employed on a full-time basis, including all full-time temporary or
seasonal workers who were employed during this pay period.

Full-time equivalent employment
A statistical measure that estimates the number of full-time employees that could have
been employed if the reported number of hours worked by part-time employees had been
worked by full-time employees.

Hate crime victimization
Refers to a single victim or household that experienced a criminal incident believed by the victim to be
motivated by prejudice based on race, gender or gender identity, religion, disability, sexual
orientation, or ethnicity. BJS's National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) and the FBI's Uniform Crime
Reports (UCR) Hate Crime Statistics Program are the principal sources of annual information on hate
crime in the United States and use the definition of hate crime provided in the Hate Crime Statistics
Act (28 U.S.C. § 534).

Head of household
A classification that defines one and only one person in each housing unit as the head.
Head of household implies that the person rents or owns (or is in the process of buying)
the housing unit. The head of household must be at least age 18, unless all members of
the household are under age 18 or the head is married to someone age 18 or older.

Hispanic
A person who describes himself or herself as Mexican American, Chicano, Mexican, Mexicano,
Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central American, South American, or from some other Spanish culture
or origin, regardless of race.

Homicide
Killing of a human being by another human being. The ARD program gathers data on
homicides that occur during an arrest process regardless of whether the homicide was
attributed to law enforcement personnel or a civilian. Homicides by law enforcement
personnel were included in the ARD collection because they resulted from a direct use
of force by law enforcement officers. However, not all homicides by law enforcement
personnel involve shooting deaths. Other types of homicides by law enforcement
officers included deaths attributed to asphyxia during restraint, injuries sustained
during an altercation, and the use of technologies such as, chemical sprays and
conducted energy devices.

Household
A person or group of people meeting either of the following criteria: (1) people whose
usual place of residence is the same housing unit, even if they are temporarily absent, or
(2) people staying in a housing unit who have no usual place of residence elsewhere.

Household burglary
See "Burglary."

Human trafficking
The commerce and trade in the movement or migration of people, legal and illegal,
including both legitimate labor activities as well as forced labor.

Identity theft
Includes one or more of three types of incidents: (1) unauthorized use or attempted use
of an existing account, (2) unauthorized use or attempted use of personal information to
open a new account, or (3) misuse of personal information for a fraudulent purpose.
Person level identity theft is captured in the Identity Theft Supplement (ITS) to the
National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). Household level identity theft is captured
by the main NCVS.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainees
ICE holds persons for immigration violations in federal, state, and locally operated
prisons and jails, as well as in privately-operated facilities under exclusive contract
and ICE-operated facilities. Persons serving time in a local jail or in state or
federal prison for either a criminal or immigration offense may be turned over to ICE
after completing their sentence.

Imprisoned population
The population of inmates confined in prison or other facilities under the
jurisdiction of the state or Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP).

Imprisonment rate
The number of prisoners under state or federal jurisdiction sentenced to more than one
year, per 100,000 U.S. residents.

Incarcerated population
Incarcerated population is the population of inmates confined in a prison or a jail.
This may also include halfway-houses, bootcamps, weekend programs, and other
facilities in which individuals are locked up overnight.

Incident
A specific criminal act involving one or more victims and offenders. For example, if
two people are robbed at the same time and place, this is classified as two robbery
victimizations but only one robbery incident.

Indian country
Statutory term that includes all lands within an Indian reservation, dependent
Indian
communities, and Indian trust allotments (18 U.S.C. § 1151). Courts interpret
section
1151 to include all lands held in trust for tribes or their members. See United
States v. Roberts, 185 F.3d 1125 (10th Cir. 1999). Tribal authority to imprison
American Indian offenders is limited to one year per offense by statute (25 U.S.C. §
1302), a $5,000 fine, or both.

Indian country jails
Indian country adult and juvenile detention centers, jails, and other correctional
facilities operated by tribal authorities or the Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S.
Department of the Interior.

Information Sharing and Analysis Centers (ISACs)
Organizations that work with the U.S. Government, law enforcement agencies, technology
providers, and security associations such as U.S. CERT. ISACs maintain secure
databases, analytic tools and information gathering and distribution facilities
designed to allow authorized individuals to submit reports about information security
threats, vulnerabilities, incidents and solutions.

InfraGard
An information sharing and analysis effort serving the interests and combining the
knowledge base of a wide range of members. At its most basic level, InfraGard is a
partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the private sector.

Institutional corrections
Persons housed in secure correctional facilities. There are many different types of
correctional facilities, operated by different government entities. Local jails are
operated by county or municipal authorities, and typically hold offenders for short
periods ranging from a single day to a year. Prisons serve as long-term confinement
facilities and are only run by the 50 state governments and the Federal Bureau of
Prisons (BOP). Private correctional facilities also operate under contracts for a
wide variety of local, state, and federal agencies. Other correctional facilities
are operated by special jurisdictions, including the U.S. Armed Forces, U.S.
territories, and federal agencies, such as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
(ICE).

Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS)
A national fingerprint and criminal history system maintained by the Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI), Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division. The IAFIS
provides automated fingerprint search capabilities, latent searching capability,
electronic image storage, and electronic exchange of fingerprints and responses, 24
hours a day, 365 days a year. As a result of submitting fingerprints electronically,
agencies receive electronic responses to criminal 10-print fingerprint submissions
within two hours and within 24 hours for civil fingerprint submissions. The IAFIS
maintains the largest biometric database in the world, containing the fingerprints and
corresponding criminal history information for more than 55 million subjects in the
Criminal Master File. The fingerprints and corresponding criminal history information
are submitted voluntarily by state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies.

Intergovernmental expenditure
The sum of payments from one government to another, including grants-in-aid, shared
revenues, payments in lieu of taxes, and amounts for services performed by one
government for another on a reimbursable or cost-sharing basis (for example, payments
by one government to another for boarding prisoners). It excludes amounts paid to
other governments for purchase of commodities, property, or utility services.

Interstate Identification Index (III)
An "index-pointer" system for the interstate exchange of criminal history records. Under
III, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) maintains an identification index of
persons arrested for felonies or serious misdemeanors under state or federal law. The
index includes identification information, (such as name, date of birth, race, and sex),
FBI Numbers, and State Identification Numbers (SID) from each state holding information
about an individual. Search inquiries from criminal justice agencies nationwide are
transmitted automatically via state telecommunications networks and the FBI's National
Crime Information Center (NCIC) telecommunications lines. Searches are made on the basis
of name and other identifiers. The process is entirely automated and takes approximately
five seconds to complete. If a hit is made against the Index, record requests are made
using the SID or FBI Number, and data are automatically retrieved from each repository
holding records on the individual and forwarded to the requesting agency. Participation
requires that the state maintain an automated criminal history record system capable of
interfacing with the III system and capable of responding automatically to all
interstate and federal and state record requests.

Jail inmates
Offenders confined in short-term facilities that are usually administered by a local
law enforcement agency and that are intended for adults but sometimes hold juveniles
before or after adjudication. Jail inmates usually have a sentence of less than 1 year
or are being held pending a trial, awaiting sentencing, or awaiting transfer to other
facilities after a conviction.

Judicial and legal services
Includes all civil and criminal courts and acti­vities associated with courts, such as
law libraries, grand juries, petit juries, medical and social service activities,
court reporters, judicial councils, bailiffs, and probate functions. It also includes
the civil and criminal justice activities of the attorneys general, dis­trict
attorneys, state's attorneys, and their variously named equivalents and corporation
coun­sels, solicitors, and legal departments with various names. It excludes legal
units of noncriminal justice agencies, whose functions may be performed by a legal
services department in other jurisdictions (such as a county counsel).

Judicial selection
The selection system involves a nonpartisan commission that reviews the qualifications of
applicants for judicial office.

Jurisdiction
A unit of government or the legal authority to
exercise governmental power. In corrections, it refers to the government that has
legal authority over an inmate (state or federal). Prisoners under a given state's
jurisdiction may be housed in another state or local correctional facility.

Jurisdiction count
Prisoners under legal authority of state or federal correctional authorities who are housed in
prison facilities (e.g., prisons, penitentiaries, and correctional institutions; boot camps; prison
farms; reception, diagnostic, and classification centers; release centers, halfway houses and road
camps; forestry and conservation camps; vocational training facilities; prison hospitals; and drug
and alcohol treatment facilities for prisoners), regardless of which government entity physically
holds them. This number also includes prisoners who are temporarily absent (fewer than 30 days),
out to court, or on work release; housed in local jails, private facilities, and other states or
federal facilities; and serving a sentence for two jurisdictions at the same time. This count
excludes prisoners held in a state or federal facility for another state or the Federal Bureau of
Prisons (BOP). However, prisoners housed in another state and under the legal authority of the
governing state are included.

Jury trial
A trial held before and decided by a group of laypersons selected according to the law
presided over by a judge culminating in a verdict for the plaintiff(s) and/or
defendant(s). Unless noted, the term jury trial includes trials with a directed verdict,
judgment notwithstanding the verdict (JNOV), and jury trials for defaulted defendants.

Justice employees
Justice employees are all persons on government payrolls. This includes paid
officials and persons on paid leave but excludes unpaid officials, persons on unpaid
leave, pensioners, and contractors.

Justice expenditure
Includes only external cash payments made from any source of funds, including any
payments fi­nanced from borrowing, fund balances, inter­governmental revenue, and other
current revenue. It excludes any intra­governmental transfers and noncash trans­actions,
such as the provision of meals or housing of employees. It also excludes retirement of
debt, investment in securities, extensions of loans, or agency transactions. Total
expendi­tures for all government functions do include interest payments on debt, but
the
justice expenditure data do not.

Justice functions
Justice expenditure and employment variables that include three primary categories:
police protection, judicial and legal services, and corrections.

Juvenile Justice Record
Official records of juvenile justice adjudications. Most adult criminal history record
systems do not accept such records, which are frequently not supported by fingerprints
and
which usually are confidential under state law. Pursuant to an order dated July 15,
1992,
the FBI now accepts and will disseminate juvenile records on the same basis as adult
records. States, however, are not required to submit such records to the FBI.

Larceny
The unlawful taking of property other than a motor vehicle from the possession of
another, by stealth, without force or deceit. Includes pocket picking, nonforcible purse
snatching, shoplifting, and thefts from motor vehicles. Excludes receiving and/or reselling stolen
property (fencing) and thefts through fraud or deceit.

Large law enforcement agencies
Non-federal departments employing 100 or more full-time sworn officers.

Law enforcement
The generic name for the activities of the agencies responsible for maintaining public
order and enforcing the law, particularly the activities of prevention, detection, and
investigation of crime and the apprehension of criminals.

Legal motion
A procedural device in law to bring a limited, contested issue before a court for
decision.

Less-lethal weapons
Less-lethal technologies give police an alternative to lethal force. These weapons are
especially valuable when lethal force¿(1) is not necessary, (2) is justified and
available for backup, but lesser force may resolve the situation, (3) is justified, but
its use could cause serious injury to bystanders or other unacceptable collateral
effects. The weapons currently in use include : chemical agents, batons, soft
projectiles, and electrical devices such as stun guns and Tasers.

Local law enforcement officer
An employee of a local law enforcement agency who is an officer sworn to carry out law
enforcement duties. Examples of this class are sheriffs, deputy sheriffs, chiefs of
police, city police officers, and sworn personnel of law enforcement subunits of port
and transit authorities. For national level general data, this class includes
campus police officers employed by of local city and community college
districts.
Private campus police are excluded.

Malpractice
Failure of a professional person, as a physician or lawyer, to render proper services
through reprehensible ignorance or negligence or through criminal intent, especially when
injury or loss follows.

Manner of death
An explanation of how a person died, typically illustrated by a one word description
of the intentions and circumstances that led to the stated medical cause of death.
Essentially, the manner of death is the way in which death was caused and is typically
listed as natural, accident, homicide, suicide, or undetermined.

Marital status
Every person is assigned to one of the following classifications: (1) married, which
includes persons in common-law unions and those who are currently living apart for
reasons other than marital discord (e.g., employment or military service); (2) separated
or divorced, which includes married persons who are legally separated and those who are
not living together because of marital discord; (3) widowed; and (4) never married,
which includes persons whose marriages have been annulled and those who are living
together and not in a common-law union.

Master Name Index (MNI)
A subject identification index maintained by criminal history record repositories that
includes names and other identifiers for each person about whom a record is held in the
systems. As of 1999, only one state did not have at least a partially automated MNI.
Almost all states (45) had fully automated MNIs. The automated name index is the key to
rapidly identifying persons who have criminal records for such purposes as presale
firearm checks, criminal investigations, or bailsetting. MNIs may include "felony
flags," which indicate whether record subjects have arrests or convictions for felony
offenses.

Medicolegal
Of, relating to, or concerned with medicine and law; pertaining to legal aspects of
the
practice of medicine.

Mental health court
Specialized court dockets that provide community treatment and supervision in lieu of
incarceration for criminal offenders with mental illness.

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) defines this as a population nucleus of
50,000 or more, generally consisting of a city and its immediate suburbs, along with
adjacent communities having a high degree of economic and social integration with the
nucleus. MSA's are designated by counties, the smallest geographic units for which a
wide range of statistical data can be attained. However, in New England, MSA's are
designated by cities and towns since these subcounty units are of great local
significance and considerable data is available for them. Currently, an area is defined
as an MSA if it meets one of two standards:
(1) a city has a population of at least 50,000;
(2) the Census Bureau defines an urbanized area of at least 50,000 people with a total
metropolitan population of at least 100,000 (or 75,000 in New England). The Census
Bureau's definition of urbanized areas, data on commuting to work, and the strength of
the economic and social ties between the surrounding counties and the central city
determine which counties not containing a main city are included in an MSA. For New
England, MSA's are determined by a core area and related cities and towns, not
counties. A metropolitan statistical area may contain more than one city of 50,000 and
may cross State lines.

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) defines this as a population nucleus of 50,000
or more, generally consisting of a city and its immediate suburbs, along with adjacent
communities having a high degree of economic and social integration with the nucleus.
MSA's are designated by counties, the smallest geographic units for which a wide range
of statistical data can be attained. However, in New England, MSA's are designated by
cities and towns since these subcounty units are of great local significance and
considerable data is available for them. Currently, an area is defined as an MSA if it
meets one of two standards: (1) a city has a population of at least 50,000, or (2) the
Census Bureau defines an urbanized area of at least 50,000 people with a total
metropolitan population of at least 100,000 (or 75,000 in New England). The Census
Bureau's definition of urbanized areas, data on commuting to work, and the strength of
the economic and social ties between the surrounding counties and the central city
determine which counties not containing a main city are included in an MSA. For New
England, MSA's are determined by a core area and related cities and towns, not counties.
An MSA may contain more than one city of 50,000 and may cross state lines.

Mortality rate
A measure of the frequency of deaths in a defined population during a specified interval
of time. It is usually defined as the number of deaths per 100,000 inmates. For example,
the overall mortality rate for local jails in 2011 was 122 jail deaths per 100,000 jail
inmates.

Motor vehicle
An automobile, truck, motorcycle, or any other motorized vehicle legally allowed on
public
roads and highways.

Completed motor vehicle theft - The successful taking of a vehicle
by an unauthorized person.

Attempted motor vehicle theft - The unsuccessful attempt by an unauthorized
person to take a vehicle.

Movement
In corrections, a movement refers to an admission or a release from a status, such as
prisoner, parolee, or probationer. Unless specifically noted, a transfer between
facilities does not count as a movement.

Multiple offenders
Two or more persons inflicting some direct harm to a victim. The victim-offender
relationship is determined by the offender with the closest relationship to the victim.
The following list ranks the different relationships from closest to most distant:
spouse,
former spouse, parent, child, other relative, nonrelative well known person, casual
acquaintance, or stranger. See "Nonstranger" and "Stranger."

Municipalities
An administrative entity composed of a clearly defined territory and its population
and
commonly denotes a city, town, or village, or a small grouping of them. A municipality
is typically governed by a mayor and a city council or municipal council.

Murder
(1) Intentionally causing the death of another person without extreme provocation or
legal justification or (2) causing the death of another while committing or attempting
to commit another crime.

National Crime Information Center (NCIC)
An automated database of criminal justice and justice-related records maintained by the
FBI. The database includes the "hot files" of wanted and missing persons, stolen
vehicles, and identifiable stolen property, including firearms. Access to NCIC files is
through central control terminal operators in each state that are connected to NCIC via
dedicated telecommunications lines maintained by the FBI. Local agencies and officers on
the beat can access the state control terminal via the state law enforcement network.
Inquiries are based on name and other nonfingerprint identification. Most criminal
history inquiries of the Interstate Identification Index (III) system are made via the
NCIC telecommunications system. NCIC data may be provided only for criminal justice and
other specifically authorized purposes. For criminal history searches, this includes
criminal justice employment, employment by federally chartered or insured banking
institutions or securities firms, and use by state and local governments for purposes of
employment and licensing pursuant to a state statute approved by the U.S. Attorney
General. Inquiries regarding presale firearm checks are included as criminal justice
uses.

National Crime Prevention and Privacy Compact
An interstate and federal or state compact, which establishes formal procedures and
governance structures for the use of the Interstate Identification Index (III). It is
designed to facilitate the exchange of criminal history data among states for
noncriminal justice purposes and to eliminate the need for the FBI to maintain duplicate
data about state offenders. Under the compact, the operation of this system is overseen
by a policymaking council comprised of federal and state officials. The key concept
underlying the compact is agreement among all signatory states that all criminal history
information (except sealed records) will be provided in response to noncriminal justice
requests from another stateregardless of whether the information being requested would
be permitted to be disseminated for a similar noncriminal justice purpose within the
state holding the data. The compact was passed by Congress and signed into law by the
President in October 1998. The compact became effective in April 1999, following
ratification by two state legislatures: Montana on April 8, 1999 and Georgia on April
28, 1999. To date, 25 additional states have entered into the compact: Nevada (May
1999); Florida (June 1999); Colorado (March 2000); Iowa (April 2000); Connecticut (June
2000); South Carolina (June 2000); Arkansas (February 2001); Kansas (April 2001); Alaska
(May 2001); Oklahoma (May 2001); Maine (June 2001); New Jersey (January 2002); Minnesota
(March 2002); Arizona (April 2002); Tennessee (June 2003); North Carolina (June 2003);
New Hampshire (June 2003); Missouri (July 2003); Ohio (January 2004); Wyoming (February
2005); Idaho (March 2005); Maryland (May 2005); Oregon (July 2005); West Virginia (April
2006); and Hawaii (May 2006).

National Fingerprint File (NFF)
A system and procedures designed as a component of the Interstate Identification Index
(III) system, which, when fully implemented, would establish a totally decentralized
system for the interstate exchange of criminal history records. The NFF will contain
fingerprints of federal offenders and a single set of fingerprints on state offenders
from each state in which an offender has been arrested for a felony or a serious
misdemeanor. Under the NFF concept, states will forward only the first-arrest
fingerprints of an individual to the FBI accompanied by other identification data, such
as name and date of birth. Fingerprints for subsequent arrests would not be forwarded.
Disposition data on the individual would also be retained at the state repository and
would not be forwarded to the FBI. Upon receipt of the first-arrest fingerprint cards
(or electronic images), the FBI will enter the individual's fingerprint impressions in
the NFF and will enter the person's name and identifiers in the III, together with an
FBI Number and a State Identification Number (SID) for each state maintaining a record
on the individual. Charge and disposition information on state offenders will be
maintained only at the state level, and state repositories will be required to respond
to all authorized record requests concerning these individuals for both criminal justice
and noncriminal justice purposes. States would have to release all data on record
subjects for noncriminal justice inquiries regardless of whether the data could be
released for similar purposes within the state. The NFF has been implemented in eight
states: Colorado, Florida, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Montana, and
Kansas.

National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS)
An automated system operated by the FBI established in accordance with the Brady
Handgun Violence Prevention Act to check the eligibility of prospective gun purchasers.

National Sex Offender Registry
The NCIC Convicted Sexual Offender Registry File is designed to help law enforcement
agencies keep track of convicted sex offenders released into the community. The file
contains records of persons: convicted of a criminal offense against a minor;
convicted of a sexually violent offense, or who are sexually violent predators.

Natural
Deaths attributed to natural agents such as illness or internal malfunctions of the
body. The majority of arrest-related deaths recorded as "natural" were due to heart
complications. Other natural deaths included complications from long term illnesses.

NCIC Protection Order File
Contains court orders that are issued to help law enforcement prevent acts of domestic
violence against a person or to prevent a person from stalking, intimidating, or harassing
another person. Orders are issued by both civil and criminal state courts.

NICS Index
The NICS Index contains records provided by state and federal agencies about persons
prohibited from receiving firearms under federal law. All records in the NICS Index are
disqualifying records and will prohibit the sale of a firearm. Most records in the NICS
Index are obtained from federal agencies. However, authorized local and state law
enforcement agencies may voluntarily contribute records to the NICS Index.

Non-Deadly or Less-Lethal Force
The level of force required to gain compliance that is not known to or intended to create
serious bodily harm or death.

Non-Hispanic
Persons who report their culture or origin as something other than "Hispanic" as
defined above. This distinction is made regardless of race.

Nonnegligent/voluntary manslaughter
Intentionally and without legal justification causing the death of another when acting
under extreme provocation. The combined category of murder and nonnegligent
manslaughter excludes involuntary or negligent manslaughter, conspiracies to commit
murder, solicitation of murder, and attempted murder.

Nonstranger
A classification of a crime victim's relationship to the offender. An offender who is
either related to, well known to, or casually acquainted with the victim is a
nonstranger. For crimes with more than one offender, if any of the offenders are
nonstrangers, then the group of offenders as a whole is classified as nonstranger. This
category only applies to crimes that involve contact between the victim and the
offender; the distinction is not made for crimes of theft because victims of this
offense rarely see the offenders.

Offender
The perpetrator of a crime. This term usually applies to crimes involving contact between
the victim and the offender.

Offense
A crime. When referring to personal crimes, the term can be used to refer to both
victimizations and incidents.

Operational capacity
The number of inmates that can be accommodated based on a facility's staff, existing
programs, and services.

Other computer security incidents
Incidents that do not fit within the definitions of the specific types of cyber attacks
and cyber theft. Encompasses spyware, adware, hacking, phishing, spoofing, pinging,
port scanning, sniffing, and theft of other information, regardless of whether damage
or losses were sustained as a result.

Other type of releaseEmergency release—Defendants are released in response to a court order
placing limits on a jail's population

Parole
Parole refers to criminal offenders who are conditionally released from prison to serve
the remaining portion of their sentence in the community. Prisoners may be released to
parole by a parole board decision (discretionary release/discretionary parole),
according to provisions of a statute (mandatory release/mandatory parole), through
other types of post-custody conditional supervision, or as the result of a sentence to
a term of supervised release. In the federal system, a term of supervised release is a
sentence to a fixed period of supervision in the community that follows a sentence to a
period of incarceration in federal prison, both of which are ordered at the time of
sentencing by a federal judge. Parolees can have a number of different supervision
statuses, including active supervision, which means they are required to regularly
report to a parole authority in person, by mail, or by telephone. Some parolees may be
on an inactive status, which means they are excluded from regularly reporting, and
that could be due to a number of reasons. For instance, some may receive a reduction in
supervision, possibly due to compliance or meeting all required conditions before the
parole sentence terminates, and therefore may be moved from an active to inactive
status. Other supervision statues include parolees who only have financial conditions
remaining, have absconded, or who have active warrants. Parolees are also typically
required to fulfill certain conditions and adhere to specific rules of conduct while in
the community. Failure to comply with any of the conditions can result in a return to
incarceration.

Payroll
Gross 1-month payroll before deductions. This includes salaries, wages, fees, and
commissions paid to employees.

Place of occurrence of crime
The location at which a crime occurred, as specified by the victim. Survey measures of
crimes occurring in commercial establishments, in restaurants, in nightclubs, on public
transportation, and at other similar places include only those crimes involving NCVS
measured crimes against persons, not the establishments. Crimes against commercial
establishments and other places are not measured by the survey.

Police protection
The function of enforcing the law, preserving order, and apprehending those who
violate the law, whether these activities are performed by a city police department,
sheriff's department, state police, or federal law enforcement agency, such as the FBI
or the Drug Enforcement Administration. Private security police are outside the scope
of the survey.

Positive identification
Identification of an individual using biometric characteristics that are unique and not
subject to alteration. In present usage, the term refers to identification by
fingerprints but may also include identification by retinal images, voiceprints, or
other techniques. Positive identification is to be distinguished from identification
using name, sex, date of birth, or other personal identifiers as shown on a document
subject to alteration or counterfeit such as a birth certificate, Social Security card,
or driver's license. Because individuals can have identical or similar names, ages,
etc., identifications based on such characteristics are not reliable.

Prevalence rate
Number of persons or households per 1,000 who experienced at least one victimization
during the year.

Prison
Compared to jail facilities, prisons are longer-term facilities owned by a state or by
the Federal Government. Prisons typically hold felons and persons with sentences of
more than a year; however, the sentence length may vary by state. Six states
(Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, Delaware, Alaska, and Hawaii) have an integrated
correctional system that combines jails and prisons. There are a small number of
private prisons, facilities that are run by private prison corporations whose services
and beds are contracted out by state or federal governments.

Prisoners
Prisoners are inmates confined in long-term facilities run by the state or federal
government or private agencies. They are typically felons who have received a sentence
of incarceration of 1 year or more. (Sentence length may vary by state because a few
states have one integrated prison system in which both prison and jail inmates are
confined in the same types of facilities.)

Private prisons
Prison facilities run by private prison corporations whose services and beds are
contracted out by state governments or the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP).

Probation
Probation refers to adult offenders whom courts place on supervision in the community
through a probation agency, generally in lieu of incarceration. However, some
jurisdictions do sentence probationers to a combined short-term incarceration sentence
immediately followed by probation, which is referred to as a split sentence.
Probationers can have a number of different supervision statuses, including active
supervision, which means they are required to regularly report to a probation authority
in person, by mail, or by telephone. Some probationers may be on an inactive status,
which means they are excluded from regularly reporting, and that could be due to a
number of reasons. For instance, some probationers may be placed on inactive status
immediately because the severity of the offense was minimal or some may receive a
reduction in supervision and therefore may be moved from an active to inactive status.
Other supervision statuses include probationers who only have financial conditions
remaining, have absconded, or who have active warrants. In many instances, while on
probation, offenders are required to fulfill certain conditions of their supervision
(e.g., payment of fines, fees or court costs, participation in treatment programs) and
adhere to specific rules of conduct while in the community. Failure to comply with any
conditions can result in incarceration.

Process of arrest
Any actions by law enforcement officers in an attempt to apprehend a criminal
suspect. For the purposes of the ARD program, a death occurring during the "process
of arrest" can happen any time after a law enforcement officer invokes his or her
authority to detain a criminal suspect and before custody of the suspect is
transferred to a correctional authority.

Property crime
Burglary, motor vehicle theft, and theft. This category includes both attempted and
completed crimes.

Property offensesBurglary—Includes any type of entry into a residence, industry, or
business with or without the use of force with the intent to commit a felony or theft.
It does not include possession of burglary tools, trespassing, or unlawful entry for
which the intent is not known.

Larceny/theft—Includes grand theft, grand larceny, and any other
felony theft, including burglary from an automobile, theft of rental property, and mail
theft. It does not include motor vehicle theft, receiving or buying stolen property,
fraud, forgery, or deceit.

Motor vehicle theft—Includes auto theft, conversion of an automobile,
receiving and transferring an automobile, unauthorized use of a vehicle, possession of
a stolen vehicle, and larceny or taking of an automobile.

Forgery—Includes forging of a driver's license, official seals, notes,
money orders, credit or access cards or names of such cards or any other documents with
fraudulent intent, uttering a forged instrument, counterfeiting, and forgery.

Prosecution and legal services
Includes the civil and criminal justice activities of the attorneys general, district
attorneys, state's attorneys (and their variously named equivalents), and corporation
counsels, solicitors, and legal departments with various names.

Public defender
A salaried staff of full-time or part-time attorneys that renders indigent criminal
defense services through a public or private nonprofit organization, or as direct
government paid employees.

Public defense
Legal counsel and representation in either criminal or civil proceedings as provided by
public defenders and other government programs that pay the fees of court-appointed
counsel.

Public Law 83-280 (commonly referred to as Public Law 280 or P.L. 280)
Establishes criminal justice responsibilities among American Indian tribes with
tribal land, the states in which tribes are
located, and the federal government. Public Law 280 is mandatory or optional for 204
tribes, about two-thirds of the total
in the lower 48 states. In states where P.L. 280 does not apply, the federal
government retains criminal jurisdiction for
major crimes committed under the Indian Country Crimes Act (18 U.S.C. § 1152), the
Indian Country Major Crimes Act (18
U.S.C. § 1153), and the Assimilative Crimes Act (18 U.S.C. § 13).

Public Law 93-638
The Indian Self-Determination of Act 1975 affords tribes the opportunity to provide
for their own police departments and other institutional services through federal
grants and contracts.

Public order offensesWeapons offenses—Includes the unlawful sale, distribution,
manufacture, alteration, transportation, possession, or use of a deadly weapon or
accessory.

Driving-related offenses—Includes driving under the influence of
drugs or alcohol, driving with a suspended or revoked license, and any other felony in
the motor vehicle code.

Purse snatching/pocket picking
Theft or attempted theft of property or cash directly from the victim by stealth, without
force or threat of force.

Race
For the National Crime Victimization Survey, respondents self identify with one or more racial
categories. Racial categories include white only, black only, and other race only. The "other" category
is composed of Asians, Pacific Islanders, American Indians, Aleuts, and Eskimos, if only one of these
races is given. Persons reporting two or more races are included in the category of "more than one
race." The race of the head of household is used for computing household crime demographics.

Rap back
A "rap back" or "hit notice" program will inform an employer or other designated entity
when an individual who has undergone a fingerprint-based background check, and whose
fingerprints are retained by a criminal history repository after the check, is
subsequently arrested. His or her fingerprints, obtained after the arrest, are matched
against a database that contains the fingerprints that were initially submitted.
Employers are then notified of the individual's arrest. Employers pay a fee for the
service in some states; other states provide the service for free.

Rape
Forced sexual intercourse including both psychological coercion and physical force.
Forced
sexual intercourse means vaginal, anal, or oral penetration by the offender(s). This
category also includes incidents where the penetration is from a foreign object, such as
a
bottle. Includes attempted rape, male and female victims, and both heterosexual and same
sex rape. Attempted rape includes verbal threats of rape.

Rated capacity
The number of beds or inmates assigned by a rating official to institutions within the
jurisdiction.

Real property cases
Cases concerning ownership or division of real property (excluding mortgage foreclosures,
which are included under contracts).

Region
The states have been divided into four groups or census regions: Midwest - Includes the
12 states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska,
North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Northeast - Includes the 9 states of
Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island, and Vermont. South - Includes the District of Columbia and the 16 states
of Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland,
Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and
West Virginia. West - Includes the 13 states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado,
Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

Robbery
Completed or attempted theft, directly from a person, of property or cash by force or
threat of force, with or without a weapon, and with or without injury.

Completed/property taken - The successful taking of property from a person by
force or threat of force, with or
without a weapon, and with or
without injury.

Completed with injury - The successful taking of property from a person,
accompanied by an attack, with or
without a weapon, resulting in
injury.

Completed without injury - The successful taking of property from a person
by force or threat of force, with
or without a weapon, but not
resulting in injury.

Attempted to take property - The attempt to take property from a person by
force or threat of force without
success, with or without a
weapon, and with or without injury.

Attempted without injury - The attempt to take property from a person by
force or threat of force without
success, with or without a
weapon, but not resulting in injury.

Attempted with injury - The attempt to take property from a person without
success, accompanied by an
attack, with or without a weapon,
resulting in injury.

Rural area
A place not located inside the Metropolitan Statistical Area. This category includes a
variety of localities, ranging from sparsely populated rural areas to cities with
populations fewer than 50,000.

Sample
The set of housing units selected by the U.S. Census Bureau to be interviewed for the
survey. All occupants of the household age 12 or older are interviewed. See report
methodologies for sample inclusions and exclusions.

Sentenced prisoners
Prisoners under the jurisdiction of state and federal correctional authorities who have
been given a sentence of more than 1 year.

Sentencing
Final act of a judge-ruled process, and also the symbolic principal act connected to his
function. The sentence generally involves a decree of imprisonment, a fine, and/or other
punishments against a defendant convicted of a crime.

Sexual assault
A wide range of victimizations, separate from rape or attempted rape. These crimes
include attacks or attempted attacks generally involving unwanted sexual contact
between victim and offender. Sexual assaults may or may not involve force and include
such things as grabbing or fondling. Sexual assault also includes verbal threats.

Sexual victimization as reported by adult correctional authoritiesInmate-on-inmate or youth-on-youth sexual victimization
involves sexual contact with a victim without his or her consent or with a victim
who cannot consent or refuse.

Nonconsensual sexual acts are the most serious
victimizations and include—

contact between the penis and the vagina or the penis and the anus,
including penetration, however slight

contact between the mouth and the penis, vagina, or anus

penetration of the anal or genital opening of another person by a hand, finger,
or other object.

Abusive sexual contacts are less serious
victimizations and include—

intentional touching, either directly or through clothing, of the genitalia,
anus, groin, breast, inner thigh, or buttocks of any person

incidents in which the intent was to sexually exploit (rather than to harm or
debilitate).

Sexual Sexual harrassment includes repeated and unwanted
sexual advances, requests for sexual favors or verbal comments, gestures, or actions
of a derogatory or offensive sexual nature by one inmate directed toward another.

Staff-on-inmate or staff-on-youth sexual victimization
includes both consensual and nonconsensual acts perpetrated on an inmate by staff.
Staff includes an employee, volunteer, contractor, official visitor, or other agency
representative. Family, friends, and other visitors are excluded.

Staff sexual misconduct includes any act or behavior of
a sexual nature directed toward an inmate by staff, including romantic
relationships. Such acts include—

intentional touching of the genitalia, anus, groin, breast, inner thigh, or
buttocks with the intent to abuse, arouse, or gratify sexual desire

Staff sexual harassment includes repeated verbal
statements or comments of a sexual nature to an inmate by staff. Such statements
include

demeaning references to an inmate's sex or derogatory comments about his or
her body or clothing

repeated profane or obscene language or gestures.

Sexual victimization as reported by youth in juvenile facilities

Sexual victimization includes any forced sexual activity
with another youth (nonconsensual sexual acts and other
sexual contacts) and all sexual activity with facility staff.

Nonconsensual sexual acts includes any forced sexual acts
with another youth and all sexual acts with facility staff
involving contact with the penis and the vagina or anus;
contact between the mouth and the penis, vagina, or
anus; penetration of the anal or vaginal opening of
another person by a hand, finger, or other object; and
rubbing of another person's penis or vagina by a hand.

Other sexual contacts only includes kissing on the
lips or another part of the body, looking at private body
parts, being shown something sexual, such as pictures or
a movie, and engaging in some other sexual act that did
not involve touching.

Staff sexual misconduct includes all sexual activity with
facility
staff, including contact with the penis and the vagina or
anus; contact between the mouth and the penis, vagina,
or anus; penetration of the anal or vaginal opening of
another person by a hand, finger, or other object; rubbing
of another person's penis or vagina by a hand; kissing on
the lips or another part of the body; looking at private
body parts; being shown something sexual, such as
pictures or a movie; and engaging in some other sexual
act that did not involve touching.

Staff sexual misconduct excluding touching includes sexual
activity with facility staff involving contact with the penis
and the vagina or anus; contact between the mouth and
the penis, vagina, or anus; penetration of the anal or
vaginal opening of another person by a hand, finger, or
other object; and rubbing of another person's penis or
vagina by a hand.

Forced sexual activity includes sexual activity
between
youth and facility staff as a result of physical force or
threat of physical force; force or pressure of some other
type (e.g., threatening with harm, threatening to get
the youth in trouble, pressuring the youth, or forcing or
pressuring in some other way); and in return for money,
favors, protection, or other special treatment.

Sexual victimization as self-reported by inmates in adult correctional facilities

Sexual victimization includes all types of sexual
activity,
such as
oral, anal, or vaginal penetration; hand jobs; touching
of the inmate's buttocks, thighs, penis, breasts, or
vagina in a sexual way; abusive sexual contacts; and
both willing and unwilling sexual activity with staff.

Nonconsensual sexual acts includes unwanted contacts with
another inmate or any contacts with staff that involved
oral, anal, vaginal penetration, hand jobs, and other
sexual acts.

Abusive sexual contacts only includes unwanted contacts
with
another inmate or any contacts with staff that involved
touching of the inmate's buttocks, thigh, penis, breasts,
or vagina in a sexual way.

Unwilling activity includes incidents of unwanted sexual
contacts with another inmate or staff.

Willing activity includes incidents of willing sexual
contacts
with staff. These contacts are characterized by the
reporting inmates as willing; however, all sexual
contacts between inmates and staff are legally
nonconsensual.

Staff sexual misconduct includes all incidents of
willing and unwilling sexual contact with facility staff
and all incidents of sexual activity that involved oral,
anal, vaginal penetration, hand jobs, blow jobs, and
other sexual acts with facility staff.

Sheriff
The elected chief officer of a county law enforcement agency, usually responsible for
law enforcement in unincorporated areas and for the operation of the county jail.

Simple assault
Attack without a weapon resulting either in no injury, minor injury (e.g., bruises, black eyes, cuts, scratches, or
swelling), or an undetermined injury requiring fewer than two days of hospitalization. Also includes attempted
assault without a weapon.

With minor injury - An attack without a weapon resulting in injuries such as bruises, black eyes, cuts,
or an undetermined injury requiring fewer than two days of hospitalization.

Without injury - An attempted assault without a weapon but not resulting in injury.

State prisons
Prison facilities run by state correctional authorities. Prisoners housed in these
facilities are under the legal authority of the state government and generally serving
a term of more than 1 year.

Statistical Analysis Center (SAC)
Statistical Analysis Centers (SACs) are units or agencies at the State government
level that use operational, management, and research information from all components
of the criminal justice system to conduct objective analyses of statewide and
systemwide policy issues. There are currently SACs in 53 States and territories. The
SACs vary in their placement within the State government structures. Some are within a
criminal justice or general State planning or coordinating agency; some are part of a
governor's advisory staff; and others are located in a line agency such as the State
police, attorney general's office, or department of corrections. There are several
housed in universities.

Statistical Analysis Center (SAC) Director
Each State Statistical Analysis Center (SAC) is led by a SAC Director who manages the
day-to-day operations of the SAC. The SAC Director has extensive knowledge of
research methodology and statistical analyses techniques, as well as the ability to
design and conduct research studies, and produce and present findings in written and
oral presentations. Additionally, the SAC Director is familiar with the factors,
issues, and processes involved in crime and the criminal justice system. The SAC
Director is able to communicate effectively and maintain sound working relationships
with all levels of staff, employees from other agencies, and public officials. A
degree, with major studies in mathematics/statistics, computer science, criminology or
a related social sciences field with emphasis on research methodology, from an
accredited college or university is required.

Stranger
A classification of the victim's relationship to the offender for crimes involving
direct contact between the two. Incidents are classified as involving strangers if the
victim identifies the offender as a stranger, did not see or recognize the offender, or
knew the offender only by sight. Crimes involving multiple offenders are classified as
involving nonstrangers if any of the offenders was a nonstranger. Because victims of
theft without contact rarely see the offender, no distinction is made between strangers
and nonstrangers for the crime.

Subsidiary
A company in which another business has more than 50% ownership or the power to direct
or cause the direction of management and policies.

Suburban areas
A county or counties containing a central city, plus any contiguous counties that are
linked socially and economically to the central city. On data tables, suburban areas
are categorized as those portions of metropolitan areas situated "outside central
cities."

Suicide
Intentional killing of oneself. BJS recorded arrest-related deaths as suicides only
if medical staff deemed the decedent deliberately took his or her life. The most
common type of suicide reported to the ARD program included decedents engaging in
armed standoffs with law enforcement prior to taking his or her life. Other suicides
occurred while law enforcement officers were attempting to apprehend the deceased, who
committed suicide to avoid being taken into custody. Drug and alcohol overdoses were
not considered to be suicides unless there was evidence the overdose was intentional.
Unintentional over use of alcohol or drugs for recreational purposes were coded
as intoxication deaths. Deaths that were submitted as suicide by cop, were
recorded in the ARD collection as homicides because the death was directly
attributed to actions taken by law enforcement personnel.

Sworn officers
Persons formally authorized to make arrests while acting within the scope of explicit
legal authority.

Tenure
The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) recognizes two forms of household tenancy:
(1) owned, which includes dwellings that are mortgaged, and (2) rented, which includes
rent free quarters belonging to a party other than the occupants and situations where
rental payments are in kind or services.

The Clery Act
The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act
was signed into law in 1990. It requires institutions of higher education that
participate in federal financial aid programs to keep and disclose information about
crime on and near campus. Clery Act statistics are available on the Campus Security Data Analysis Cutting Tool site.

Theft
Completed or attempted theft of property or cash without personal contact. Incidents involving theft of property from
within the sample household are classified as theft if the offender has a legal right to be in the house (e.g., a maid,
delivery person, or guest). If the offender has no legal right to be in the house, the incident is classified as a
burglary.

Completed theft - To successfully take without permission property or
cash without personal contact between the victim and offender.

Attempted theft - To unsuccessfully attempt to take property or cash without personal
contact.

Theft of intellectual property
The illegal obtaining of copyrighted or patented material, trade secrets, or trademarks
(including designs, plans, blueprints, codes, computer programs, software, formulas,
recipes, graphics) usually by electronic copying. Excludes theft of personal or
financial data such as credit card or social security numbers, names and dates of
birth, financial account information, or any other type of information.

Theft of personal or financial data
The illegal obtaining of information that potentially allows someone to use or create
accounts under another name (individual, business, or some other entity). Personal
information includes names, dates of birth, social security numbers, or other personal
information. Financial information includes credit, debit, or ATM card account or PIN
numbers. Excludes theft of intellectual property such as copyrights, patents, trade
secrets, and trademarks. Excludes theft of any other type of information.

Tort cases (torts)
Cases concerning ownership or division of real property (excluding mortgage foreclosures,
which are included under contracts).

Torts
A wrongful act, not including a breach of contract or trust, that results in injury to
another's person, property, reputation, or the like, and for which the injured party is
entitled to compensation.

Total correctional population
Total correctional population is the population of persons incarcerated, either in a
prison or a jail, and persons supervised in the community, either on probation or
parole.

Total incarceration rate
The number of inmates held in the custody of state or federal prisons or in local
jails, per 100,000 U.S. residents.

Total inmates in custody count
To have custody of a prisoner, a state or the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) must
physically hold that person in one of its facilities. A state may have custody of a
prisoner over whom another state maintains jurisdiction. This count includes inmates
held in any public facility run by a state or the BOP, including halfway houses,
camps, farms, training/treatment centers, and hospitals. This number includes the
number of inmates held in local jails as reported by correctional authorities in the
Annual Survey of Jails.

Trial court
The court in which a controversy is first adjudicated.

Tribal court
As defined in the Indian Tribal Justice Technical and Legal Assistance Act of 2000 (P.L.
106-559), the term "tribal court," "tribal court system," or "tribal justice system"
means the entire judicial branch, and employees thereof, of an Indian tribe, including,
but not limited to, traditional methods and fora for dispute resolution, trial courts,
appellate courts, including inter-tribal appellate courts, alternative dispute
resolution systems, and circuit rider systems, established by inherent tribunal
authority whether or not they constitute a court of record.

Tribal jurisdiction
Tribal law enforcement agencies act as first responders to both felony and
misdemeanor
crimes. For most of Indian country, the federal government provides felony law
enforcement concerning crimes by or against American Indians. Certain areas of
Indian
country are under Public Law 83-280, as amended. P.L. 280 conferred jurisdiction on
certain states over Indian country and suspended enforcement of the Major Crimes Act
(18
U.S.C. § 1153) and the General Crimes Act (18 U.S.C. § 1152) in those areas. Indian
tribes retain concurrent jurisdiction to enforce laws in Indian country where P.L.
280
applies.

Tribal police powers
Authority to exercise criminal jurisdiction over all tribal members and the authority
to arrest and detain non-Indians for delivery to state or federal authorities for
prosecution. These tribal police powers are generally limited to tribal lands.

Tribal wellness courts
Courts within the tribal justice system that incorporate the wellness concept to meet the
specific substance abuse needs of each tribal community. They include tribal healing to
wellness courts and tribal hybrid courts.

Types of financial releaseSurety bond—Bail bond company signs a promissory note to the court
for the full bail amount and charges the defendant a fee for the service (usually 10%
of the full bail amount). If the defendant fails to appear, the bond company is liable
to the court for the full bail amount. Frequently the bond company requires collateral
from the defendant in addition to the fee.

Deposit bond—Defendant deposits a percentage (usually 10%) of the
full bail amount with the court. The percentage of the bail is returned after the
disposition of the case, but the court often retains a small portion for administrative
costs. If the defendant fails to appear in court, he or she is liable to the court for
the full bail amount.

Full cash bond—The defendant posts the full bail amount in cash with
the court. If the defendant makes all court appearances, the cash is returned. If the
defendant fails to appear in court, the bond is forfeited.

Property bond—Involves an agreement made by a defendant as a condition
of pretrial release requiring that property valued at the full bail amount be posted
as an assurance of his or her appearance in court. If the defendant fails to appear in
court, the property is forfeited. Also known as "collateral bond."

Types of nonfinancial releaseRelease on recognizance (ROR)—The court releases the defendant on a signed
agreement that
he or she will appear in court as required. This includes citation releases in which
arrestees are released
pending their first court appearance on a written order issued by law enforcement or
jail personnel.

Unsecured bond—The defendant pays no money to the court but is liable for
the full amount
of bail should he or she fail to appear in court.

Conditional release—Defendants are released under specified conditions.
Monitoring or
supervision, if required, is usually done by a pretrial services agency. In some cases,
such as those
involving a third-party custodian or drug monitoring and treatment, another agency may
be involved in the
supervision of the defendant. Conditional release sometimes includes an unsecured bond.

U.S. CERT
The United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team is a partnership between the
Department of Homeland Security and the public and private sectors. Established in 2003
to protect the nation's Internet infrastructure, U.S. CERT coordinates defense against
and responses to cyber attacks across the nation.

Urban areas
The largest city (or grouping of cities) in a Metropolitan Statistical Area. See
"Metropolitan Statistical Area."

Use of Excessive Force
The application of force beyond what is reasonably believed to be necessary to gain
compliance from a subject in any given incident.

Use of Force
The amount of effort required by law enforcement to gain compliance from an unwilling
subject.

Victim
The recipient of a criminal act, usually used in relation to personal crimes, but also
applicable to households.

Victimization
A crime as it affects one individual person or household. For personal crimes, the
number of victimizations is equal to the number of victims involved. The number of
victimizations may be greater than the number of incidents because more than one
person may be victimized during an incident. Each crime against a household is assumed
to involve a single victim, the affected household.

Victimization rate
Number of victimizations per 1,000 persons or households that occurred during
the year.

Victimize
To commit a crime against a person or household.

Violence, crimes of
Rape, sexual assault, personal robbery, or assault. This category includes both
attempted and completed crimes. It does not
include purse snatching and pocket picking. Murder is not measured by the National Crime
Victimization Survey because of
an inability to question the victim.

Completed violence - The sum of all completed rapes, sexual assaults,
robberies, and assaults. See individual crime
types for definitions of completed crimes.

Rape—Includes forcible intercourse, sodomy, or penetration with a
foreign object. It does not include statutory rape or nonforcible acts with a minor or
someone unable to give legal consent, nonviolent sexual offenses, or commercialized sex
offenses.

Robbery—Includes unlawful taking of anything of value by force or
threat of force. It includes armed, unarmed, and aggravated robbery, carjacking, armed
burglary, and armed mugging.

Assault—Includes aggravated assault, aggravated battery, attempted
murder, assault with a deadly weapon, felony assault or battery on a law enforcement
officer, and other felony assaults. It does not include extortion, coercion, or
intimidation.